MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ecuador: Noboa lays off 5,000 civil servants

It is Noboa's largest cut since taking office in November 2023

Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa decreed a significant restructuring of his government, reducing the number of ministries from 20 to 14 and secretariats from 9 to 3. This move also includes the dismissal of 5,000 civil servants to boost efficiency through deficit reduction, to meet International Monetary Fund (IMF) targets.

According to Government Spokesperson Carolina Jaramillo, these cuts are driven by the goal of creating a more streamlined state that provides quality public services. The dismissals are the result of an institutional analysis process and are not politically motivated, it was argued. Notably, doctors, nurses, teachers, police officers, military personnel, and individuals from vulnerable groups are exempt from the layoffs.

This downsizing aligns with Noboa's broader objectives of reducing the state deficit and meeting the targets of a US$5 billion deal with the IMF from last year.

This measure mainly involves the merger of the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing and the Ministry of Transport and Public Works; the transfer of the Ministries of Culture and Sport and the Secretariat of Higher Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation to the Ministry of Education; the merger of the Ministry of Women and Human Rights with the Ministry of Government; and the transfer of the Ministry of the Environment to the Ministry of Energy and Mines.

In addition, the Ministry of Tourism will merge with the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment, and Fisheries, and the Vice Ministry of Aquaculture and Fisheries will be transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, among other changes.

In the security sector, the National Comprehensive Care Service for Adults Deprived of Liberty (SNAI) and the ECU-911 Integrated Security Service will now report to the Ministry of the Interior, moving from direct presidential oversight.

Jaramillo also clarified that the 5,000 layoffs are separate from the ministerial mergers and are specifically aimed at improving “administrative efficiency.” She stated that officials found to “obstruct efficient work” or linked to “mafias” entrenched in state institutions will be among those dismissed.

“The result of this focus on efficiency has been to detect that there are officials who obstruct the efficient work that we want to do in the various government departments,” Jaramillo said. “We cannot keep officials who prevent work from being carried out excellently and transparently. We cannot tolerate men and women who, when approached for a public service, respond, 'There is no system,' and do not provide a solution,” she added.

The government plans to open a smaller number of new positions for young people after these immediate dismissals, which will be carried out in accordance with labor laws, with severance and compensation paid.